As far as debut novels go, it's hard to top Murdock's DAIRY QUEEN, a winning combination of wit and heart, love and loss. But incredibly, she succeeds with its sequel, THE OFF SEASON. It is everything her first book is, and more.

As quite possibly the first girl in her state ever to be on her high school football team, D.J. Schwenk has been getting a lot of attention and publicity lately, and she doesn't want any of it... particularly as she fears it will make her something-or-other friendship/relationship with Brian Nelson, her rival high school's star quarterback, even more confusing than it already is. But D.J. never has to go looking for publicity and problems; they come to her. More than ever, she is worried about the future of the Schwenk farm, a dilapidated, outdated relic from the past. And her youngest brother, Curtis, has been mysteriously running off with some girl.

Things only get worse when a bad shoulder injury forces her to quit the football team, going from Most Intriguing Girl in Town to Most Despised. D.J. has no time to wallow in self-pity, however, for not long after that her brother Win is badly injured in a football game and has lost his will to live as a cripple. With all of these issues that SHE has to deal with, it's no wonder she has no time for schoolwork, friendships, and even Brian. D.J. may be forced to grow up faster than she wants, but maybe some good will come out of it all in the end.

In THE OFF SEASON, Murdock continues her beloved heroine's story, throwing more hardships her way. The amount D.J. has to deal with may seem like a rural soap opera sometime, but nevertheless D.J. prevails, and so does our admiration and envy of her. She is the best friend you always wish you could have.

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Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

When we last left D.J. Schwenk in DAIRY QUEEN, she was trying to cope with her family's problems, the inclusion of Brian into her life, and surviving being on the Red Bend football team. You know, when most people thought girls shouldn't be on the team.

At first it seemed like she had found solutions to all of those problems. But all good things must come to an end, whether D.J. likes it or not.

With Brian being her sort of boyfriend, D.J. is pretty ecstatic, since not only is he hot and athletic, he is her first real boyfriend. But it sort of creates a problem since D.J. isn't so sure where there relationship is heading or if it is going at all. Brian isn't too sure, either, since it seems like D.J. would rather spend time with her family then hang out with him.

Her friend, Amber, is starting to get noticed, for all the wrong reasons, though. Now known as the girl with a girlfriend, Amber is beginning to change, once again, right in front of D.J.'s eyes, all because people in their town don't approve of that kind of relationship.

D.J.'s family is beginning to resolve their relationship problems. But when they think all is well, their financial problems come into play. Not only that, but D.J. herself and her brother, Win, suffer injuries that just might put an end to what they love the most.

While trying to control all of her problems, D.J. must be able to find her strength, the one that got her through her summer and the one that helped her get on the football team.

Once again, D.J. shines as a heroine who shows that everyone has the ability to get over any obstacle thrown their way.

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